By ISAIAH EKA

The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) says it will insist on competence and merit in the ongoing recruitment exercise.

The Secretary, Maj.-Gen. Abdulmalik Jibril (Rtd) made the expression in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Thursday.

Jibril stated that the physical screening and document verification exercise would take place in 14 centres across the federation to ensure proximity.

He further said that uploaded documents would be verified, ant that applicants would be physically examined to determine their fitness level.

“The physical screening involves physical checks of applicants height, eyes and legs, to ensure that there is no deformity,” he said.

The chairman said that about 60,000, out of no fewer than 1.6 million applicants had been shortlisted for the physical screening exercise.

“We shall recruit no fewer than 30,000 persons into the service. We are in Uyo to witness the continuation of the exercise.

“We have a series of activities that will be translated into the final selection of applicants who are successful,” he said

Jibril said that the board would be highly thorough in the process, saying, ”this will ensure that only the best hands are recruited”

He said that the physical screening and document verification exercises were for applicants who participated in the computer-based test conducted in November 2025.

The secretary told applicants to avoid giving money or any other incentive to anyone, insisting that the recruitment exercise is entirely free.

“We are openly against any form of bribery, we are insisting on competence and merit,” he said. (Text, excluding headline: NAN)